Diary of a Nudist

MSNBC Reports on Nakations

2009-11-09T11:37:00.002-05:00

Complete article here.

Nudist Photos of the Day 11/08/09

2009-11-08T08:17:00.004-05:00

Nudist Photos of the Day 11/05/09

2009-11-05T08:17:00.004-05:00

Mooning in Hi-Def

2009-11-04T21:16:00.007-05:00

A funny thing happened when shopping for a new TV today.

The salesman took the satellite remote and tried to find a movie that would best show the quality of the sets. He settled on "Space Cowboys".

After a few minutes the scene where James Garner, Donald Sutherland, Clint Eastwood and Tommy Lee Jones bare their behinds for a physical appeared on the screen.

The poor salesman didn't know what to do. He was obviously panicked, and gestured frantically to another guy on the floor to kill the signal, to no avail. The mooning was complete on dozens of big screen televisions for all to see.

I reassured him that it was OK, that we were not offended. I wanted to tell him that we were nudists but he probably wouldn't have believed that anyway.

He mumbled something about nobody really wants to see naked "old geezers", which prompted me to remind him that I was rapidly approaching old geezerhood myself. Then he said something about how he was glad that there were no kids in the store at the time, that there could have been a real problem, even though the movie was rated PG-13.

I almost wanted to buy a TV on the spot to make him feel better, but I'm pretty anal when it comes to buying these things, and I'm still researching.

It's just eye-opening to encounter this sort of body phobia, especially about something so banal as the fleeting sight of some geriatric derrieres. I think the salesman actually feared for his job. I'm sure I could have asked for the manager, filed a complaint, and if not have gotten him fired, at least put him into some serious hot water, but I didn't want to make an ass out of myself.

Come to think of it, had I been a bit more devious, I might have been able to squeeze the deal of the year out of him in exchange for my silence on the moongate scandal.

Even though we didn't make a purchase, the store did have a great deal on a 46" Sony XBR9, which also did the best job in reproducing flesh tones. The hi-def mooning might have given salesmen a near heart attack, but for us, it just about sealed the deal.

Nudist Photos of the Day 11/04/09

2009-11-04T09:15:00.004-05:00

Nudist Photos of the Day 11/03/09

2009-11-03T07:28:00.004-05:00

Nudist Photos of the Day 11/02/09

2009-11-02T08:02:00.004-05:00

Boulder Police Kill Naked Pumpkin Run

2009-11-01T08:21:00.002-05:00

The threats of arrest for indecent exposure apparently worked because only three people were reported to have participated in Boulder's annual Naked Pumpkin Run, and they were not nude. Officers were reported to have descended on the area when they heard of the three runners.

Some used their costumes to poke fun at the police, including two people wearing jack-o-lanterns on their heads in reference to the Naked Pumpkin Run of recent years and SWAT vests over their shirts.

Michael May and Gerry Callejo carried naked, inflatable men with jack-o-lanterns on their heads and a sign reading "Free the Pumpkins" on their backs. Beckner, watching from nearby, cracked a wry smile.

"The absurdity of how the police reacted needs to be mocked," May said later.

Nudist Photos of the Day 11/01/09

2009-11-01T07:41:00.002-05:00

Warning: The Following Video Contains Adult Material

2009-10-31T08:55:00.005-04:00

PART ONE

PART TWO

Expecting some porn? No, it's just the WJLA TV segment on breast self examinations which show actual female breasts on camera, uncensored. The reporter also warns that "the images are going to be graphic" and that viewer discretion is advised.

Dr. Rapoport at TERA addresses the issue:

We think Lauren Albright, the subject in the video, did a great thing, and we empathize fully with her in this situation. Thousands, perhaps millions, of women are prepared to do the same. If they haven't done so, it's only because of a monstrously foolish Federal Communications Commission that has put repressive ideology before the public good in declaring the glimpse of women's nipples harmful and to be removed from all basic network broadcasts under threat of huge fines.

WJLA produced a good broadcast that was nonetheless marred by claiming it was adult material, containing "revealing," "graphic" images of someone "unclothed." In case viewers didn't understand what a "full breast examination" meant, they were advised that Albright took "the extraordinary step of baring herself."

The Washington DC station is an ABC affiliate, and "Good Morning America" covered the breast exam story by censoring the images and providing the nonsensical "pro and con" arguments which plague most newscasts these days.

"It could be done on a model or mannequin. It can be done through diagrams. … This is exploiting women in order to exploit the audience," said Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America, a conservative group that promotes biblical values. "It's pretty clear that there's one point in doing this, and that is to try and increase their ratings."

Others say the series does the public a great service.

"Others say". Sounds like Fox News, deosn't it? Look, there's not always a 50-50 split on all issues. I swear if the Manson killings happened today the 24 hour news people would be falling all over themselves to present a "balanced" view of the events.

It's as clear as an azure sky that in an era where medical costs are out-of-control, and 45 million people are without health insurance, that we all need to be in tune with our own bodies and not fear the mere sight of body parts, in person or on TV.

The FCC needs to be challenged on these twisted censorship issues, and stations like WJLA who show a little courage in the face of irrational restrictions need to stop apologizing.

Penn State Brochure Recommends Nudist Naturist Activities

2009-10-31T08:16:00.004-04:00

At Penn State, students considering jobs as nude artists' models are given a brochure which recommends "some sort of naturist/nudist recreation" in order to prepare and overcome any embarrassment. It also praises nude models:

“You have just been inducted into one of the longest-standing traditions in the history of art,” it reads. “You are one of the select few who have provided their bodies for the betterment of other people. Because of people like you, we have the Da Vincis, the Van Goghs, the Warhols.”

OK, AANR and TNS, the art department at Penn State has just opened a door for you. The University is actually recommending nude recreation to its students - how about offering free limited memberships or free day passes to all the aspiring models? Or perhaps a nude swimming event could be organized at one of the university pools. You want the younger generation getting involved in nude recreation? Penn State just offered its students on a silver platter.

Don't Judge the Demarees Based Upon the Police Report

2009-10-30T21:36:00.004-04:00

Trish Kinney has read the police report on the case of the Arizona parents arrested for taking nude photos of their kids, and she has all but convicted them in her column today, even though she has not seen the photos herself, and the parents were cleared of all charges.

DO NOT judge these people based solely on a clinical and biased police report. Any image featuring a nude image of a child can be made to sound perverted when written like a script for a porn shoot. For example:

The image shows a nude baby boy looking into the camera. His penis can be clearly seen. He has his right hand on a woman's bare right breast, and he is sucking on her nipple. The woman is looking at the naked little boy with an approving glance. See the image here.

Another example:

The little girl in the image appears to be about 4 or 5 years old. She is on a public beach wearing no top. She has a coy expression on her face and her buttocks are thrust out in a suggestive manner. Her buttocks are nearly fully exposed by a dog who has grabbed her bathing suit bottom. The dog's right ear appears to be tickling her naked flesh. A fully clothed little boy has his right hand placed on the little girl's bare left buttock. See the image here.

Another:

The image shows a young girl about the age of 8 or 9 holding a little boy who appears to be about 1 or 2 years old. Both children are completely nude in the outdoors. The girl appears to have her right hand on the little boy's nude buttocks. His penis is not exposed. Part of the little girl's vaginal area is visible. See the image here.

And one more:

The image shows a seated woman, who appears to be approximately 20 years of age. Her right hand is pulling open her top to expose her right breast and nipple to the nine young children who are surrounding her. Seven of the children are completely naked, one is wearing some sort of fur, and the last child is mostly concealed except for a head and nude arm. Two of the nude children are climbing on the woman in what appears to be an attempt to get closer to the exposed breast and nipple. One of those children has his or her legs spread apart. Two other children appear to be kissing and are in a sexually suggestive embrace. See the image here.

I think you get the point.

The Most Popular Nudist and Naturist Sites on the Internet

2009-10-30T08:57:00.007-04:00

In politics, the only poll that really matters is the one which takes place on election day.

The other day I called out AANR for running an obviously slanted poll, asking "Where do you get nudist information?", and then stacking the deck heavily in their own favor.

So where do most people get their nudist information? I don't have access to the numbers of the circulations of printed nudist and naturist magazines, but I do have access to the traffic numbers of web sites, their rankings in the United States, and their growth trends.

All data can be easily obtained on Alexa.

Please note that I have filtered out all the web sites out there which call themselves "nudist" but are actually picture peddlers, many selling images of nude children. These parasitic sites contain no useful nudist information, in my opinion. The only pay site that I decided to include in my list is Clothes Free International, because although they charge for access to photos and videos, their forum is free and is about the best one on the Internet, and the folks there present what I consider to be a positive image of nudism.

Overseas websites are also excluded since no US ranking is available from Alexa.

I have also decided to include some social networking sites, even though they are not necessarily family-friendly and present somewhat of a meat-market image. While not ideal, a lot of AANR and TNS members have profiles on those sites and exchange useful information.

A few high-ranking resorts are also on my list, including a couple which recently lost their AANR charters, just to show how well they do compared to traditional nudist venues.

So where do people get nudist information on the Internet? In the following list, the number is Alexa's rank for traffic in the United States, and the up and down percentages reflect a three month trend.

Clothes Free International - 40,216, Up 23%
Nudist-Resorts.org - 58,260, Down 15%
Nudist Clubhouse - 64,912, Down 19%
True Nudists - 78,622, Up 67%
NudistFriends.com - 100,698, Up 18%
Diary of a Nudist - 118,117, Up 76%
Net Nude - 131,137, Up 34%
World Naked Bike Ride - 149,657, Down 2%
Sunsport Gardens - 159,908, Up 52%
Caliente Resorts - 179,702, Up 15%
Skinbook - 187,203, Down 43%
AANR - 199,039, Up 27%
The Terra Cotta Inn - 212,170, Up 19%
Topfree Equal Rights Association - 221,836, Up 38%
Cypress Cove Nudist Resort - 263,383, Down 5%
Black's Beach Bares - 268,584, Up 50%
The Naturist Society - 269,190, Down 9%
Paradise Lakes Resort - 289,370, Up 38%
All Nudist - 305,037, Down 20%
Nudist Explorer - 306,183, Down 20%
Naturist Christians - 326,823, Up 141%
Body Freedom Collaborative - 357,375, Up 18%
International Nudist - 367,683, Up 11%
Nudist Day - 401,787, Down 8%
USA Nudist - 464,463, Up 8%
Terra Cotta Inn Blog - 466,624, Up 326%
South Florida Free Beaches - 480,128, Up 13%
Naturist Action Committee - 513,359, Up 193%
The Naturist Journal - 546,130, Down 54%
Cheef's Nudist Naturist Place - 790,933, Down 59%
Nude Hiking and Soaking in the Pacific Northwest - 858,896, Down 53%
The Academic Naturist - 905,791, Up 213%
West Penn Naturist - 909,235, Up 11%

This list is by no means definitive, so if you have any recommendations to add, I will be happy to consider them. Many popular sites don't register at all on Alexa. Sunny Day, for example, just moved to a new address, as did My Secret Public Blog. So please, send me any sites I might have overlooked, or point out any errors.

It's interesting to see how the national organizations fare so poorly when compared to commercial sites like Clothes Free International, blogs like mine, and the social networking sites. It's clear that AANR and TNS have let the Internet get away from them. AANR is trying with their blog and forum, but they are still woefully behind sites that do a much better job.

So when you talk about who is a "credible" voice of nude recreation on the Internet, look to the statistics to see what people are actually reading and following instead of fabricating silly polls.

[UPDATE: List has been revised from original to include All Nudist and The Terra Cotta Inn]

Nudist Photos of the Day 10/29/09

2009-10-29T17:00:00.002-04:00

Washington TV Station to Show Bare Breasts

2009-10-29T14:27:00.004-04:00

[image from Wikipedia]

Congratulations to WJLA TV in Washington DC for its decision to show fully exposed female breasts in an upcoming series on detection and treatment of breast cancer. Whatever the reason for the decision, even if it's for ratings, it's a step forward in de-sexualizing women's breasts, and open defiance of the FCC's insane indecency standards.

The station's first report features a 28-year-old woman from Northern Virginia, Lauren Albright, who volunteered to be led through an on-camera self-exam by an oncologist. She is shown examining her bare torso in a mirror and on an examination table, in both close-up and medium shots. Reporter Gail Pennybacker says in a voice-over that Albright took the "extraordinary step of baring herself" to teach women how to do the exam.

A Biased and Useless Poll

2009-10-28T09:06:00.006-04:00

I really don't want to be critical of AANR, I sincerely do want to praise them endlessly, but this new poll they published today on their blog is a complete farce. They are asking for your "primary source about nude recreation", and three out of the six choices are AANR vehicles! No mention of The Naturist Society, no mention of blogs except for the lumping of "media and other Internet sources" into one choice. There is no other purpose for this poll except to artificially inflate AANR's importance to itself, and its blatant dishonesty does a disservice to nudists and naturists everywhere.

UPDATE: AANR made the poll even more biased - now four out of seven choices are AANR vehicles.

Nudist Photos of the Day 10/28/09

2009-10-28T08:25:00.003-04:00

Further Clarification on "Is AANR Overstepping Its Bounds?"

2009-10-27T11:11:00.002-04:00

This is a follow-up to my previous post, which has been misunderstood by some.

I am not criticizing AANR for being cognizant of current events. To the contrary, I praise them for their diligence.

What I am saying is that when the Executive Director of AANR comments on stories about which the organization has no official stance, he is inadvertently injecting AANR into the story.

For example, anyone can pull quotes from Schuttauf's post to make comments like these:

AANR Executive Director Eric Schuttauf speculated in an editorial today that Eric Williamson, the man arrested for indecent exposure in Virginia, could have been standing "spread eagle in open doorways" in a "purposeful display" of his genitals, prompting his arrest.

~or~

Eric Schuttauf, Executive Director of The American Association of Nude Recreation, concluded today that the parents arrested in Arizona for taking nude photos of their children were "probably not pornographers", but also said that reports about the images "reveal aspects of the photos that legitimately would have triggered alarm bells for the Wal-Mart clerk and the police."

By making both of these comments. Schuttauf has made AANR part of the story, and in the latter example, perhaps into the lawsuit as well. He also goes on to say if the parents in Arizona had followed AANR guidelines on nude photography, the "case may not have gone as far as it did."

These are pretty powerful comments from someone who stated emphatically just a few paragraphs earlier that "Responding too quickly, without knowing all the facts for certain, brings peril if initial reports and assumptions turn out untrue."

This is why I say Schuttauf's post, and Carlyn Hawkins' comments to the Washington Examiner, are simply unwise, and a simple "no comment" would have been far more appropriate.

Is AANR Overstepping Its Bounds?

2009-10-26T17:03:00.005-04:00

AANR Executive Director Erich Schuttauf in a blog post today addressed two hot button issues - the case of the nude coffee guy in Virginia, and the parents arrested for taking nude photos of their children in Arizona.

I’ll acknowledge that with most such cases, AANR faces a significant obstacle that must be overcome to respond to the news story properly: like all “merely mortal” readers, viewers, and listeners, we often do not have first-hand knowledge of the facts. Did the parents of the young girls take photos that came too close to the line? Did Mr. Coffee simply stumble around the kitchen preparing brew, or did he stand spread eagle in open doorways and a large plate glass picture window at 8:40 in the morning-and were mother and son taking only a small shortcut between two very public sidewalks from which one could have just as easily seen a purposeful display as has also been alleged?

Responding too quickly, without knowing all the facts for certain, brings peril if initial reports and assumptions turn out untrue. Yet the early innings of a story are usually the stage where our blood is boiling at its hottest. DAMN IT. If AANR knows about this it should be DOING something.

The media likes to hear us say “damn it.” “Damn it” makes us buy newspapers. “Damn it” keeps us listening over the commercial break.

I want all our members and clubs to be assured that AANR hears the frustration in your phone calls and e-mail messages. I cannot promise you that we will be goaded into premature action because doing so can all-too-easily detract from a reputation of providing a credible voice of reason for nude recreation.

But I do promise you that AANR will continue to track events, to take the extra time that it takes to research the facts, or find out what the jury determined so that we can continue providing reliable guidance. And that we WILL speak out in cases of clear injustice to nudists.

Yes, news stories like these have an affect on nudists and naturists because they are reflective of public perceptions and societal shifts, and they should be discussed openly and frankly by all concerned. This is why I write about strip club ordinances, child pornography, sexting and other issues involving the human body and sexuality, which are not directly related to nudism, but speak to trends and attitudes.

And I'm glad that the powers-that-be at AANR are also concerned about these issues, and keep track of laws and ordinances.

BUT (and you knew this "but" was coming), I think it's disastrous public relations for the Executive Director of The American Association for Nude Recreation directly linking his organization with potential crimes involving indecent exposure and child pornography. While it's perfectly OK for bloggers like me to raise these issues, or even for AANR members to discuss them in a forum, it's a huge mistake, in my opinion, for Mr. Schuttauf to take them on himself.

It's a good thing that AANR has not taken an official stand on these stories, but by even discussing them in an official capacity associates nude recreation with crimes involving nude people.

The public perception can only be that AANR is open to defending flashers and pornographers. Yes, when all the facts are known and the issues are found to have a direct bearing on nude recreation, issue a statement, but open speculation and "thinking out loud" is not wise. When contacted by the press about these sort of news stories, it's best to issue a "no comment" on the basis that there is no evidence that these people are practicing nudists, belong to any nudist organizations, or that their alleged crimes have any relationship at all to nude recreation.

[UPDATE: Clarification - when I recommend a "no comment", that's what it should be, just "no comment". The bases I described are reasons for keeping mum, not meant to be given out as part of the "no comment". Otherwise the "no comment" becomes a "comment." See my previous post on this issue, where spokesperson Carlyn Hawkins declined to comment on the specifics of the naked coffee guy case, but added some general defense of nudism in general. By making her "no comment" into a "comment", her words got into the news, and linked AANR with a guy arrested for indecent exposure.]

My guess is that members of the Naturist Action Committee cringed when they read Mr. Schuttauf''s public post, which devoted 15 paragraphs to these current news issues, while a post made on 10/24 about the San Onofre lawsuit defeat was only two paragraphs. There's plenty of work to be done on the public lands issue, and valuable time and resources should not be wasted in chasing down every hot button story that comes along. The NAC chooses its battles wisely.

In addition, there is no evidence that the story of Naked Coffee Guy or the one involving the parents in Arizona will result in any changes to any laws. If anything, the public appears to be far more sympathetic to the people arrested in these cases, and outraged that they would be charged with crimes over things we've always taken for granted. Chances are these already overblown cases will quietly go away on their own.

Again, I'm glad that AANR keeps up to date on current events involving nudity issues, but unless there is some direct affect on nude recreation, nudist rights, or changes to anti-nudity laws and ordinances, officers in the organization should avoid making unnecessary public comments, in my opinion. The general population is already confused enough with the merging of swinging and nudism at some clubs, and AANR needs to remain focused on promoting positive nudist family values, and not be distracted by every viral story that comes along.

Attorney Discusses Naked Coffee Guy Case

2009-10-26T16:41:00.002-04:00

Atchuthan Sriskandarajah, attorney in the Fairfax offices of SRIS Law Group,answered questions online today about the case of the Springfield Virginia man who was arrested for being nude in his own house. Unless it can be proven that Eric Williamson deliberately exposed himself, or behaved in an obscene or lewd matter, the case will likely not go to trial. Full transcript on WashingtonPost.com.

A Call to Action for Nudists and Naturists

2009-10-26T08:01:00.004-04:00

Today Tom Mulhall, board member of AANR West and owner of the Terra Cotta Inn, recommended that nudists and naturists join both the American Association for Nude Recreation and The Naturist Society, and urged all to donate to their legal defense funds.

I wholeheartedly agree.

There are a lot of nudist and not-so-nudist web sites out there trying to get your money. Most of them are really selling photos and videos for profit, and while they often do reflect true nudist and naturist values, they really do not add much to the table when it comes to public affairs. If you are spending $50 here and $50 there for social networks or photo sites, re-think your priorities and steer those dollars towards one of the national organizations that are working for you, not just for themselves.

The Internet is not a substitute for social nudism. If you are someone who has only experienced social nudism in the virtual world, get off your bare buns and join AANR or TNS and attend a real, live nudist event or venue.

So here's another challenge to Tom, and a call to action for nudists and naturists everywhere. Since Tom and Mary Clare state that they are no longer members of TNS, I will purchase them a gift membership. A membership application can be downloaded here. Tom, just print it, fill it out, let me know, and I will mail you a check, no strings attached.

The call to action is for all members of AANR and/or TNS to purchase a gift membership for a friend. It is the holidays after all, and I'll bet that most of us know at least one person at our local clubs and venues who is not a member, or perhaps someone online.

And all you nudist bloggers and web site owners can run with this challenge, too. And if everyone reading this can pass on the challenge on their favorite forum, we can begin to make a difference.

Tom Mulhall has shown that egos can be set aside when a common cause is being threatened. The only way to move forward on nudist and naturist rights is to organize, and in order to organize people have to join and contribute.

So stop paying for photos and videos online, give up Starbucks for a couple of weeks, drop pennies into a jar, whatever it takes, and support YOUR nudist and naturist organizations today.

Up, Up and Away

2009-10-25T09:31:00.011-04:00

Frank Rich has a thought-provoking and highly perceptive column today, using the Colorado balloon hoax incident as a metaphor for our own media-hyped economic bubble, and its eventual crash to the ground.

Next to the other hoaxes and fantasies that have been abetted by the news media in recent years, both the “balloon boy” and Chamber of Commerce ruses are benign. The Colorado balloon may have led to the rerouting of flights and the wasteful deployment of law enforcement resources. But at least it didn’t lead the country into fiasco the way George W. Bush’s flyboy spectacle on an aircraft carrier helped beguile most of the Beltway press and too much of the public into believing that the mission had been accomplished in Iraq. The Chamber of Commerce stunt was a blip of a business news hoax next to the constant parade of carnival barkers who flogged empty stocks on cable during the speculative Wall Street orgies of the dot-com and housing booms.

As Rich points out, Richard Henne is more likely to spend time behind bars for his hoax, than the "reckless gamblers at the top of Citigroup and A.I.G." will for theirs.

As a society we always tend to chase the bright shiny object rather than focus on the real problems. We prosecute children for "sexting" and ignore the underlying dangers of unprotected sex among teenagers. We arrest people for being nude in their own homes, yet we regulate and protect the pornography industry. We round up women for baring their breasts in coffee shops and charge them with prostitution, when it is actually men who buy and sell women as products. We arrest parents, charge them with child pornography, and take away their children over innocent vacation photos, while the true child pornographers still exploit and ruin young lives.

The balloon whipping across the Colorado sky was a distraction from the realities on the ground, a hypnotic spinning object which transfixed the country for an afternoon. It was simple to understand, gripping in its one dramatic belief, that there was a little boy inside and he was in almost certain fatal danger.

At the same time we were focused on the hoax, an average of 5 children under the age of 14 died in automobile accidents, and 504 were injured. In Miami, drowning has claimed the lives of 200 children since 2007. 5 children die from abuse each day.

And 45,000 people in America die each year because they have no health insurance.

Instead of solving the hard problems, we go after the easy. The alleged boy in the balloon was someone we could save with helicopters and emergency vehicles. When it turned out to be a hoax, we could show outrage, charge the parents with fraud, saddle them with millions of dollars in expenses for the rescue effort, and take their kids away for their own welfare.

And then we'll all feel better because justice was done.

It's like the Roman Polanski case. Even though he spent 42 days in custody 30 years ago, voluntarily deported himself, made financial restitution, has been forgiven by his victim, and will be forever known as a child rapist, we want to punish him even more, spending perhaps millions of dollars extraditing him, putting him on trial, and throwing him in jail.

One would think that police and government officials would better serve their community by working to rid Los Angeles of the term "Gang Capital of the Nation", a city which has a homicide rate of 9.6 (per 100,000 population), a forcible rape rate of 18.9, robbery 310.2, assault 302.4, and burglary 464.5.

But those problems are hard. Holding up Polanski as a law enforcement trophy will make everyone feel better, and will get lots of media attention as the "shiny balloon du jour."

To relate this to nudism and naturism, it was the NAC which did the hard thing when it came to the San Onofre beach case. When confronted with the California Department of Parks and Recreation's decision to ban nude sunbathing at that location, the NAC first tried negotiation, and when that failed, went to court.

AANR, on the other hand, decided instead to look at the shiny balloon in the sky, claiming "victory" by waving about a letter from the DPR which promised some sort of compromise.

Just like British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain waved his "Munich Agreement" with Adolf Hitler and declared "peace for our time", when he opted for the shiny balloon instead of a real solution to the difficult problems of the day.

Appeasement, compromise, negotiation are all viable options to consider if one is bargaining from a position of strength. When an entity like the California Department of Parks and Recreation holds all the cards, including the courts, law enforcement officials and the entire state government, there is no negotiating. They do what they want. The only alternative is to fight.

Nudists and naturists are staggeringly weak when it comes to political power. In the case of San Onofre, when complaints about sexual activity began to rise, the DPR officials opted for the shiny balloon tactic by blaming the naturists instead of working to solve the root cause of the problem. When AANR refused to unite with the NAC in fighting at San Onofre, it cut whatever political power existed in half.

As long as nudists and naturists remain divided, hiding inside locked gates and drawn drapes, we will continue to be one of society's shiny balloons, something people will point to as the cause of many difficult problems, from child pornography to displays of public sexuality. The nude guy is always the first to be tased.

Have You Donated to the Naturist Action Committee?

2009-10-25T09:01:00.000-04:00

I have. Please join me in making a generous contribution to the Naturist Action Committee. There is no better way to put your money where your mouth is by supporting this organization which exists solely to protect nudist and naturist rights in America. The NAC needs your help NOW.

THIS IS A CHALLENGE TO ALL NUDIST AND NATURIST BLOGGERS TO PROMINENTLY FEATURE THIS DONATION LINK!! (You too, Tom Mulhall!)

It doesn't matter if you are a member of AANR or TNS, you need to donate to the NAC to keep their work moving forward. If you are not a member of any of the national organizations, the annual fees are very minimal and you need to join today. In fact, you need to join BOTH. We cannot unite nudists and naturists until we all join together and work for a common cause.

Nudist Photos of the Day 10/25/09

2009-10-25T08:49:00.002-04:00

Naturism Featured in German Museum

2009-10-24T08:59:00.006-04:00

The DDR museum in Germany displays artifacts of life under Communist rule in the GDR, an area we used to refer to as East Berlin, behind the wall. One of the exhibits is devoted to naturism, complete with dioramas of little nude people on the beach, uncensored. Visit the museum's English-version web site here.

Here's an interesting article about German nostalgia for the GDR, with a mention of nudist clubs.